The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-09-23
THE sH4H.s REVENUE

How the Funds for this kunport of Pc<-
sIa's Government are obtzined.
Persia Il re ativelF rich, for she oues
nothing 70 bankers or bondholders
either at home or abroad. She has no
debt and the Shah covers snug sun
annually into the treasury IS 3 reserve
II has been sreeringly said b. the Rus
SLAMS. who wish 70 belittie In order to
weaken her, that Persia has DO national
debt because she has no credit. The
truth of this assertion can only be- prov
ed when the Shah attempts 20 raise
loan. which has never ret been done
by the Persian Government OF course,
If more were spent for internal inn
provement Of Il there were less specu-
lation. there might be less reserve or
larger revenue. But the fact remains
that while something is done % pro-
mote material progress. something Is
stfIl annually saved
The revenues Of the Shah come frorn
many sources Tie land, live stock.
customs. excise and mines and fisher
les furnish the chief sources Of rerenne..
The collection Of some OF the taxes i
attended with considerable risk. and
results in not unfrequent riots and
bloodshed.
Regarding some of his revenues the
Shah very wisely continues to follow =
method common in Europe i'm former
ages. that is, farming BIZ farming the
pearl fisheries. for example. the Shah
may receive less than ii the tax on them
could be Justly collected and turned
-
10 practically impossible, the Shah
makes sure Of given sum on which he
can depend. and leaves II TO the agent
who farms them to make his profit
from whatever surplus may accrue.
But while the Shah il .drantaged by
tic system of farming this people arc
much more heavily oppressed Is they
are in the hands of the officer whp
farms that revenue NominaIlY b. may
keep to the letter of the law ii collect
ing only such ratio ON the products n
the law prescribes- But in reality great
abuses grow out OF the greed OF the
farmer
The turquoise mines are farmed
They are less productive than formerly.
while the manufacture Of excellent
spurious turquoises in Europe has
tended somewhat to lower the demand
for the genuine article The difficulty
OF getting the stone Is also excessive.
as the naines are growing deeper all the
time and the shafts are very danger
ous- Many are killed in the Persian
turquoise mines. which are found In
the province OF Herman IN the South.
but the best ones are mined in khoras
san in the North
The fisheries of Persia are farfned-
They are chiefly in the Caspfan Ses
and in the mouth of the rivers emptF-
ing into it. and consist chiefly Of sal
mon and sturgeon The boxwood In
the forests adjoining the sea = also
farmed This has been considerable
article of commerce, but the supply ie
now falling Of.
The customs are farmed and form
very important source CT revenue nersf
withStanding that BY the txsa<E of
Turkomantchai with Kussi&. al goods
entered from nations enjoying ia priv
ileges under the most favored na-
ton" clause pay a maximum duty "a
five per eentuna- Turkey has an en-
tirely different treaty with PeIsia which
allows the two countries TO claim ten
per cent duty Abuses doubtless ex-
ist IN the collection OF Customs, espe-
csally in the matter of peculation-
But the wonder to me is that under ex-
isting circumstances the abuses are
not greater Land tax also forms n
most important source of revenue.
ru rs. -